Taigawa
. The Imperial Ecumene of Taigawa, '''more formally known as the '''Thessian Ecumene '''is a galaxy-spanning eempire centered around the garden world of Thessia , located in the Mi3 Supercluster, a ball of roughly 50,000 stars located about 2,000 light years above the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy. It is a civilization that venerates a system of beliefs known as the Celestial Temple, as well as a variant of the Forerunner's Mantle of Responsibility . The nation and it's galactic neighbors are currently engaged in a total war against The Flood. Civilization and Culture Taigawa is a nation that venerates deeds and honor in a similar way to Imperial Japan. Honor and tradition are important and driving forces in society, and religious institutions, especially the Celestial Temple, are exceedingly powerful influences in society. Most cuisine in Taigawa takes on a decidily Asian feel, look, and taste, while traditional architecture is an rough fusion of Traditional Japanese architecture and that of Imperial China, coexisting alongside more modern designs and traditions. This is most evident in major cities like Cheng Yian and Engawa, whose historical centers have survived relatively unchanged for centuries. Art and music have evolved along lines similar to those of Asia, also resulting in the formation of a chinese-like language, which has gradually evolved from being written in characters to a rendition of the Forerunner glyph system. Because of technological advancement, traditional means of communication and information exchange has been phased out, replaced by a superluminal communication network, personal armor, and a network of information called the Domain, where information can be retrieved at will and at any time with the aid of specialized Ancilia . Religious structures and hierarchy Whike multiple religious belief systems exist in the Ecumene, the most influential is the Celestial Temple, a system of beliefs that teach of a Matriarchal deity known as The Creator, a shape shifting deity venerated with rites similar to those present within Japanese Shintoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, alongside veneration of one's ancestors. The Temple is led ceremonially by the empress and her family, since the rulership of the Patalia Dynasty has been passed down the female line for four generations. Below her are priests, laymen, and missionaries. Massive, palace-like shrines and temples are often constructed by followers of this religion near rivers, on mountains, or on small islands. The monestaries located in the Shangri-La valley near the outskirts of Cheng Yian are some of the oldest religious complexes attributed to the Celestial Temple. Though dominant, the Celestial Temple coexists along side veneration of the empress, the Religion of the Asari, and various other belief systems imported by Humanity, including the Roman Catholic Church, which sometimes stands in opposition to the Celestial Temple. Races of the Ecumene As a galaxy-spanning empire, the Ecumene has incorporated many races into itself. Below is a list of these, alongside their descriptions. The Kirran The Kirran are a slender, cat-like race that make up around 40% of the population. They run the gauntlet from being nearly human-like to being all but indistinguisable from anthromorphic felines. They are typified as having strong builds in males, and slender builds in females, with a vaguely human-like face with large eyes and ears. All Kirran have long, slender tails, coarse fur, and unretractable claws. Kirran have an innate curiousity about their sorroundings that have led many to serve in various scientific fields. Kirran are known for tolerence of other species and most have moderate views in politics. All kirran have a feral side that they can revert to if their survival is at risk, predesposing some to become survivalists. Anthro Felines The anthromorphic felines make up 25% of the population in the empire. They run the gauntlet in appearence from housecat-like to tiger-like, with many sub-breeds in between. They are known for being cunning, seductive, and predatory, which predisposes some to expianage. They are a proud, honor-bound race, who place honor and pristege above all else, which has led to the rise of several dynastic families throughout history, including the current Patalia Dynasty. They all have the ability to forsake their upright stance for a more animalistic quadpedal one. This also assists them in hunting game and if needed, hiding from presuers. Both sexes have slim, graceful bodies, with males being slightly taller and more heavy-set then females. They are very active in politics, and carry a veriety of political views. They usually wear dresses and light robes due to their natural fur, but most perfer to wear nothing at all. Anthro Canines The anthromorphic canines make up 20% of the population within the Empire. They run a gauntlet of appearences, from being fox-like to outright wolf-like. They are known for their skill with melee weapons, military tactics, and the aggression they display when provoked. This has led to many of the race joining the military, where some have dedicated themselves to the Honor Guard and help defend the Imperial Family. They tolerate other races to an extent, but some families have deep rivalries with the feline races. They usually push for rapid political action, and some have rather radical political views. They perfer to dress only in robes or light clothing due to their naturally thick fur. Humanity Humans are a minority race on Thessia, making up just 10% of the population. They are a decently-built race, who are able to fill nearly any field. However, their entire population, with very few exceptions, is descended from those who survived Nirrti's retaliation after they were militarily defeated at the end of a war they initiated in an attempt to kill off all of Thessia's indigenous population. They are mistrusted by most other races in the Ecumene, and are confined to enclaves within all of Thessia's major cities. They carry a myrid of political and religious ideologies, which often leads to infighting. This often only serves to deepen other races' mistrust in them; however, the native population is beginning to understand and accept them. Asari The Asari are an even more minority race, making up just 5% of the population. They are known for their blue skin, biotic abilities, and malinium-long lifespans. All Asari are female, and are able to mate with any race or gender, leading some to question their promiscurity.; The drawback to the asari means of reproduction are the Ardat-Yakshi. These individuals possess a rare genetic defect that causes an asari’s mind to overwhelm and destroy her partner’s mind when joining . Due their long lifespans, asari are often seen to progress slower in political action, and have no problem investing in activities that may take decades or even centuries to pay off. Asari reach the peak of their activity during their Maiden stage, around 100-350 years of age, comparable to adolesance in other races. During this time, their bodies sexually mature and some may start families depite the certainty that they will outlive their sexual partners.The second stage ofblife is called the Matron stage, and it begins around the age of 350, though it can be triggered earlier if the individual melds frequently. This period is marked by a desire to settle in one area and raise children. Once they reach around 700 years of age, an asari enters her Matriarch stage, which will last untill the death of the asari in question. Asari Matriarchs are highly respected by their people, leading many to become doctors, teachers, political figures and scientists, despensing the knowledge and wisdom gained from their earlier travels. Asari blood is purple. Mirali The Mirali, a race of dragon-like bipeds, are on an equal footing to the Asari, making up just 5% of the population. Towering above the other races in stature, the Mirali are immensely strong and powerful, are capable of flight, and adept mages, able to wield magic as well as breath attacks in their defense. All Mirali are predatory creatures, and are all but incapable of eating plant matter; this has predisposed them to hunting, thus limiting their population on Thessia, where urban sprawl has significantly limited the amount of wilderness areas outside designated parkland. Mirali can and will eat smaller humanoid species if provoked, but have some minor inhibitions about doing so outside the theater of war. Native to the tropical super earth of Vulcan, the Mirali are extremely susceptible to cold, and exposure to such conditions for lengthy periods of time will kill them outright. Government and Military The Ecumene is ruled by the Imperial and Ecumene Councils, with the monarch serving as a ceremonial figurehead, although she does maintain some limited power. The current ruler since 2034 is Neyla Haijira Patalia, who has now entered her second century as Taigawa's sovereign. Neyla is a reverent follower of the Celestial Temple and has a cult dedicated to worshipping her known as the 'Temple of Shaundao,' an offshoot of the Celestial Temple. She is also obsessed with upholding her civilization's interpretation of The Mantle, which she sees as her people's birthright. Neyla herself is predatory by nature and while she rarely turns to sapient creatures as a source of food, she can and will, especially if provoked or attacked. She focuses primarily on humans, though she rarely eats them except when they lead insurrections against her, with the most recent being the leader of the Miyesmos Rebellion, where he was tortured for information, killed and then eaten by her. Partially in the interests of diplomacy, Neyla wears Forerunner Armor , which compensates for her biological needs, aides in her defense, and helps temper her predatory attitudes towards humans, a race she sees as a bunch of savages undeserving of her respect due to their barbarity after their First Contact with her people resulted in attempted systematic genocide of the indigenous population of Thessia, during which she herself was very nearly killed. Neyla's eldest child and heir is Shiala Haijira Patalia, a Kirran. The Ecumene Government is composed of three distinct entities: The '''Imperial Council '''is the primary lawmaking body of the nation. This 12-member body is composed of all the races of the Ecumene and wields most of the political power. The Ecumene Council 'is composed of representatives drawn from each Ecumene world. While not particularly powerful politically, their debates strongly influence the decisions of the Imperial Council. The '''Monarch '(In this case Neyla herself and on occasion Princess Shiala) is a symbolic head of state. While she has very limited political power, Neyla's word is highly reguarded by her people. Oniwaban The Ecumene has it's own intelligence service, refered to as the Oniwaban, from the Japanese, literally 'garden-keepers.' Agents of Oniwaban specialize in espionage, infiltration, assassination, sabotage, and intelligence-gathering. Agents of this intelligence agency are known as Oniwabanshu. Some of the Ninja and Commandoes attached to the Imperial army are agents of oniwaban. The Imperial Military Taigawa maintains a two branch military, with an Army and a Navy, but no distinct air force, as it has since been absorbed into the Navy. While the military employs mainly organic units, it is supplemented and augmented heavily by Forerunner technology, especially Sentinels, Knights, Soldiers, and other weaponry based on reversed engineered hard light technology, including automated laser weaponry controlled by ancilia. Naval fleets are either led by Forerunner Planet-Breakers or city-sized warships known as 'Fortress-Class System Ships', which boost considerably more fire power. In battle, Ecumene fleets utilize heavy hard light and plasma weaponry, with most being capable of destroying entire planets using a powerful, plasma-based weapon known as the 'Projection Array,' which literally converts the surface of the target world into a material similar to glass, hence it's more common name, "glassing," while Planet-Breakers and Fortress Class utilize a neural physics-based superweapon known as The Composer. All Ecumene worlds are defended by a network of orbital defense platforms, which are almost always augmented by an attendant fleet, though the strength of this fleet varies from world to world, with Thessia being the most heavily defended. The Imperial Army also utilizes magic in both an medical and offensive capacity. The military is also home to the Honor Guard, an organization dedicated to protecting the Imperial Family and their guests. Notable individuals Neyla (Empress of the Ecumene) Sylvia (Fleetmaster, Taigawanese Imperial Navy, Imperial Fleet of Holy Reconciliation) Kyra (Sister of Sylvia. Fleetmaster, Taigawanese Imperial Navy, Home fleet) Kyrati (An architectural forewoman operating out of the historical center of Cheng Yian) Amerila (A low-ranking member of the Honor Guard) Neytiri (An escaped criminal from the port city of Chengxi) Rila Siari (Asari Matriarch and head ambassador of Taigawa) Shiala Haijira Patalia (Heir to Neyla) Shi'era Haijira Patalia (Second child of Neyla- High Fleet Admiral, Taigawanese Imperial Navy) Liara Haijira Patalia (Youngest child of Neyla. Captain, Taigawanese Imperial Army) Valeera Silverfang (Representative of Bjor, Taigawanese Imperial Council) Analayla Lao Yang (Head sorceress and pioneer in the discovery of magic. Taigawanese Imperial Council)